Union for connecting electrical conductors

ABSTRACT

An electrical union comprising socket and pin members having coextensive pressure contact secured by a sleeve member adapted to have locking tapered engagement over the socket member thereby constricting the socket member onto the entire exterior of the pin member inserted therein. In its preferred form, the socket member is segmented with a tapered outer diameter wall and a cylindrical bore, the pin member is of right cylinder form to slideably fit into said outer diameter wall, the sleeve has a tapered inner diameter wall complementary to and axially forceable onto the outer diameter wall of the socket member so as to constrict the same in cylindrical parallelism, and said axial force is applied by locking threads at the interface of said tapered engagement.

limited States Patent [1 1 Huska Mar. 19, 1974 UNION FOR CONNECTING ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS [76] Inventor: Paul Huska, 739 Moreno Ave, Los

Angeles, Calif. 90049 [22] Filed: May 22, 1972 Appl. No.: 255,691

[52] US. Cl. 339/89 R, 285/322, 339/268 R [51] Int. Cl ..H01r 13/30 [58] Field of Search 339/89, 258, 273. 268;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1918 Hall 285/322 4/1928 MacDonald 339/273 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Germany 339/273 R Primary Examiner-Joseph H. McGlynn Attorney, Agent, or FirmWilliam H. Maxwell 5 7 ABSTRACT An electrical union comprising socket and pin members having coextensive pressure contact secured by a sleeve member adapted to have locking tapered engagement over the socket member thereby constricting the socket member onto the entire exterior of the pin member inserted therein. In its preferred form, the socket member is segmented with a tapered outer diameter wall and a cylindrical bore, the pin member is of right cylinder form to slideably fit into said outer diameter wall, the sleeve has a tapered inner diameter wall complementary to and axially forceable onto the outer diameter wall of the socket member so as to constrict the same in cylindrical parallelism, and said axial force is applied by locking threads at the interface of said tapered engagement.

11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures UNION FOR CONNECTING ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS BACKGROUND The art of socket and pin electrical connectors is highly developed but not without probelms and/or deficiencies related to reliability of electrical continuity between the characteristic relatively slideable contacting members. Fundamentally, a pin member slides into a socket member, in theory to have a telescoped interengagement throughout their overlapped length. However, the aforsaid ideal is not attained in the usual and ordinary connection of the type under consideration wherein the socket member is slotted so as to form inwardly bearing tines or contacts in the nature of spring fingers. Furthermore, an acceptable clearance must be provided for initial engagement, and all to the end that coextensive interface engagement is problematical, and upon a close examination it is almost invariably found that there is merely point and/or line contact of the spring fingers upon said pin. Also, the locking of such pins in such sockets has not been a direct function of electrical interengagement and resort to secondary locking means has therefore been required. Generally therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a socket and pin union for connecting electrical conductors wherein coextensive pressure contact is assured between socket and pin members and positively locked against separation.

FIELD OF INVENTION Environment isolation is a common requirement imposed upon the fabrication of electrical equipment, and for example bulkheads and/or panels must be penetrated by conductors while maintaining a hermetic seal therethrough. To this end it is an object to provide an environment isolating connector for conducting electrical current through an imperforate panel and comprised of a socket member sealed with and extending through the panel, a pin member fastened to a surface conductor and releasably engageable in the socket member and a sleeve disengageably forceable onto the socket member so as to constrict the same into coextensive pressure engagement with said pin member.

Another object is to provide an operating means for an electrical union of the type thus far referred to and which basically employs a self-locking taper at the interface and engaged between the socket and a force applicating sleeve, and further to implement said force operation by means of actuating threads having locking action. With the combined taper and operating thread there is the assurance of complete actuation of the socket into coextensive support with the pin accompanied by the safety feature of the self-locking threaded engagement.

It is another object to provide an electrical union of the type thus far referred to that is quick acting. The number of turns required to tighten the operating sleeve is reduced to a minimum by the taper involved at the interface with the socket. With the combined taper and threaded interconnection, a substantial portion of the sleeve member passes freely over the socket member before threaded engagement commences, and following which only several turns are required in order to tighten the sleeve with consequent constriction of the segmented socket member onto the cylindrical form of the pin member.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an electrical union of the type thus far referred to that hermetically seals with the insulating case which nor- SUMMARY OF INVENTION The union described herein is adapted to connect electrical connectors, such as one or more wires. The union has a wide variety of applications and can be employed on terminal posts and the like and to join the ends of two or more wires. Generally, it is a socket and pin connection that is involved, and force is applied in the disengageable application of the union to establish coextensive pressure contact between the socket and pin. To these ends therefore, the union of the present invention involves, generally, a socket member S, a pin member P and a sleeve member N. These three members S, P and N include the interrelated features that produce coextensive pressured contact of this perfected connector, and to which various improvements are applied as circumstances require. As shown for example, the environment requirement is a bulkhead connector that is hermetically sealed per se while projecting through a bulkhead l0, and therefore hermetic seals 15 and 16 are provided for complete isolation from the surrounding atmosphere. As will become apparent, the union is easy to install and to disconnect, its adequacy becomes obvious, and it has applicability to all sizes of wire or combinations thereof, which in each instance are connected with facility.

DRAWINGS The various objects and features of this invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of the typical preferred forms and applications thereof, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the electrical union comprised of the three basic elements S, P and N.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view illustrating the assembly, the elements S, P and N shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the disengageability of the electrical union.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 44 on FIG. 2, and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a second form of the invention which includes hermetic sealing of the electric connection established by the union.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and especially to the first form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4, the simple practicality of the essential members S, P and N will become apparent. The socket member S is the part of the union over which the sleeve member N is initially engaged loosely, and into which the pin member P is inserted followed by tightening of the said sleeve member. A feature of this electrical union is that the unit assembly of the members S and N remains integral while the pin member P and its conductors is disengageable as circumstances require. Another feature of this invention is the inherent insulation afforded by the assembly of members S and N, the internal socket member S being made of electrically conductive material and the external sleeve member N being made of dielectric material, and this feature again cooperates with the insulation sheath ll which universally encap sulates conductors l2 and which is stripped back so as to expose an end portion of said conductor for connection with the pin member P as by means of staking 13 as shown. In practice, at least one or a plurality of conductors 12 can be received in the pin cavity 14 and the tubular form thereof indented as by means of the usual pressure applicating tool which establishes the anchorage of the conductor to the pin by means of pressure deformation.

The socket member S is of elongated cylindrical form that establishes a female receptacle configuration.

It is to be understood that the socket member can vary widely as to cross sectional size and that it is preferably round in cross section rather than polygonal. Furthermore, this electrical union can connect one conductor to and as a continuation of another, in which case the union feature hereinafter described singularly is multiply used back to back; or in any other multi-form as circumstances may require. As shown therefore, the socket member 5 involves a body having a base portion 21 and projecting socket portion 22, all of which is made of an electrically conductive material and preferably a free machining metal adapted to be readily fabricated as shown. The base portion 21 is shown as a metallic solid of right cylinder form with an outer diameter wall 23 and with a positioning flange 24 projecting radially a limited distance to seat upon and seal against the supporting bulkhead 10 of insulating material having a bore 25 to receive the said body portion 21. The socket portion 22 projects from the cylinder form of base portion 21, along the extended axis thereof, and is characteristically externally tapered at a self'locking angle and to the end that a complementary tapered sleeve forced thereon will anchor itself against axial separation. Thus, the socket portion is a frustrum of a cone and is tapered from its base at portion 21 to a terminal end 26 disposed in a plane normal to the axis.

In accordance with this invention, the socket portion 22 of body 20 has a tapered outer wall 27 and a substantially coextensive inner diameter wall 28 of right cylinder form having little or no perceptible taper in its initial formation. in practice, the wall 28 is a bore that enters into the socket member S at the end 26 so as to present a pin receiving opening, and penetrates said member to the area of the base portion 21. The socket portion 22 is radially constrictable and to this end it is longitudinally split by at least one and prefera bly several slots 29 that open at both walls 27 and 28. Again, the slots 29 are substantially coextensive with the longitudinal extent of the walls 27 and 28, and to the end that the socket member S is essentially ofcollet" configuration.

In its preferred form the electric union is forceably operated to positively interlock the pin member P into the socket member S, and to this end I provide detent means 30 that is operative before the sleeve member N is forced onto the socket member S and that is inoperatively locked after the sleeve member N has been forceably positioned upon said socket member. As is shown, the inner diameter Wall 28 of the socket portion 22 has a radially inturned lip 31 that extends circumferentially to engage into a complementary indentation in the pin member P, later described. It will be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 2 and 3 that the collet-like fingers of the socket portion deflect so as to pass the body of said pin member and fall into position only when the parts are properly positioned axially rel ative to each other.

The forceable operation of the sleeve member N relative to the socket member 5 involves actuating screw threads 35 on the exterior of the tapered wall 27 of the socket member S for engagement with complementary threads on the interior of the sleeve member N. A feature of the invention is that the acute taper of wall 27 permits substantial telescoped engagement of the parts before threaded engagement commences to occur, and to the ultimate end that but few turns are required of the sleeve member N to move it into final working position and forceable engagement upon the socket S.

Referring now to the pin member P, said pin member involves two sections and namely a connector section and a coupling section 45. As shown, the pin member sections 40 and are initially of right cylinder form and preferably separated by a circumferential in dention 32 complementary to circumferentially to receive the lip 31 of the detent means 30. In practice, the connector section 40 has an uninterrupted outer diameter wall 41 with a rounded nose 42 to slideably enter the inner diameter wall 28 of the socket member, and to penetrate coextensively to the full depth of the bore therein. The coupling section 45 has an opening end with the pin cavity 14 entered axially therein to receive the bared conductor end portions. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the coupling section 45 is indented at 13 to anchor the conductors therein and projects bodily from the terminal end 26 of the socket member 5.

Referring now to the sleeve member N, said sleeve member involves a tapered inner diameter wall at the self-locking angle of the aformentioned outer diameter wall 27 of socket member 5. In its basic form, the complementary walls 27 and 50 are plain and the latter can be releasably jambed tight in locked engagement upon the former. In the preferred form shown through out the drawings, the sleeve member N is sectional with an anchor section 51 and a protector section 52. The anchor section 51 coextensively embraces the socket portion 22 of the socket member S while the protector section 52 coextensively embraces the projecting coupling section 45 of the member P. The walls 27 and 50 have coextensive interface engagement and axial force applied to jamb them together causes the slotted socket portion 22 to constrict radially inward. As is shown, the anchor section 51 remains circumverentially intact so as to maintain hoop stress in order to pick up the radial pressure and infinitesimal movement required to yieldingly urge the inner diameter wall 28 of the socket member S into pressured engagement with the outer diameter wall 41 of the pin member P. In the preferred form wherein forceable operation of the sleeve member N is provided for, the sleeve member N involves actuating screw threads 53 on the interior of the tapered wall 50 for engagement with the complementary threads 35 on the exterior of the socket member S as hereinabove described. It will be seen that the tightening of the threads 35-53 produces a locking action in addition to the taper-jambed engagement of walls 27-50.

Referring now to the protector section 52, the sleeve member N extends to overlie the projecting coupling section 45 of pin member P and overlaps the crimped anchorage of the control therein. In practice, the sleeve member N is made of dielectric material, there being a bore 54 extending therethrough to freely pass the conductor 12 having overlapped engagement with the sheath 11. Thus, the sleeve member N is a revolveable part that is moved axially onto the socket member S by the threaded interengagement stopped by the tapered interfacial engagement and locking action which implements the radial constriction of the socket member S onto the pin member P.

The hermetic exclusion of surrounding atmosphere from the electrically conductive members and parts of the union is accomplished in the sleeve member N by providing the seals 15 and 16 accomplished between the sleeve member N and the socket member S and connector sheath 11 respectively. As shown, the opposite ends of sleeve member N are recessed at 55 and 56 and carry rings of plastic mastic material adapted to flow into and through all interstices when subjected to pressure. The recess 55 opens toward the flange 24 of socket member S while a gland 57 threads over the open end of section 52 to form the recess 56 and to operate as a piston to pressure the seal 16 therein. In each instance the seals 15 and 16 are made of plastic mastic material of sufficient volume excess so as to assuredly flow to some extent, at least, from a visible joinder of parts, as shown.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple and practical union for connecting electrical conductors, wherein coextensive interfacial engagement is assured between the female receptacle and the male pin members. Tightening of the sleeve member N can be manual or with the addition of an ordinary wrench applied to the exposed head 60 of polygonal configuration. The pin member P is manually inserted until the detent is engaged so as to ensure complete penetration of the part into working position. Locked coupling interengagement is then established by tightening the sleeve member N until the threaded interengagement thereof onto the socket member S limits rotation. A reverse procedure is employed in order to disengage the pin member P, which is in no way detrimental to the parts involved which can be repeatedly engaged and disengaged as circumstances require.

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any modifications or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art:

I claim:

1. An electrical union comprising, a socket member of electrically conductive material having a solid base and a projecting post with an outer diameter tapered toward a terminal end with a cylindrical bore therethrough and extending into said member concentrically with said tapered outer diameter, a pin member of electrically conductive material having a cylindrical outer diameter wall slideably insertable into coextensive interfacial engagement in said cylindrical bore, a sleeve member having a tapered inner diameter complementary to the tapered outer diameter of the socket member, and thread means at said tapered interfacial engagement and securing the sleeve member in an embracing position forced axially onto the socket member and applying radially constrictive force thereto and pressing it onto the pin member.

2. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1 wherein the thread means securing the sleeve member is disposed on a self-locking taper between the opposite outer and inner surfaces of the socket member and sleeve member respectively.

3. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tapered post of the socket member is longitudinally split into radially moveable portions.

4. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tapered post of the socket member is longitudinally split into radially moveable portions and at least one portion having an inwardly turned lip releasably engageable with an indentation in the outer surface of the pin member.

5. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tapered post of the socket member is longitudinally split into radially moveable portions having said opposite outer surfaces thereon and said receptacle opening therethrough respectively, and wherein the thread means securing the sleeve member is disposed on a self-locking taper between the opposite outer and inner surfaces of the socket member and sleeve member respectively.

6. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tapered post of the socket member is longitudinally split into radially moveable portions and at least one portion having an inwardly turned lip releasably engageable with an indentation in the outer surface of the pin member, and wherein the pin member has an inclined entry portion initially engageable with said at least one inwardly turned lip to lift the same for insertion of the pin member into the socket member. I

7. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sleeve member has an annular axially open end recess and a ring of mastic material carried therein to seal against the base of the socket member.

8. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sleeve member has an annular end recess and a ring of mastic material carried therein to seal around the pin member.

9. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sleeve member has an annular axially open end recess and a ring of mastic material carried therein and an axially forceable gland means to compress said mastic material to seal around the pin member.

10. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sleeve member has an annular axially open end recess at one end and a ring of mastic material carried therein to seal against the base of the socket member, and wherein the sleeve member has an annular end recess at the other end and a ring of mastic material carried therein to seal around the pin member.

11. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sleeve member has an annular axially open end recess at one end and a ring of mastic material carried therein to seal against the base of the socket member, and wherein the sleeve member has an annular axially open end recess at the other end and a ring of mastic material carried therein and an axially forceable gland means to compress said mastic material to seal around the pin member. 

1. An electrical union comprising, a socket member of electrically conductive material having a solid base and a projecting post with an outer diameter tapered toward a terminal end with a cylindrical bore therethrough and extending into said member concentrically with said tapered outer diameter, a pin member of electrically conductive material having a cylindrical outer diameter wall slideably insertable into coextensive interfacial engagement in said cylindrical bore, a sleeve member having a tapered inner diameter complementary to the tapered outer diameter of the socket member, and thread means at said tapered interfacial engagement and securing the sleeve member in an embracing position forced axially onto the socket member and applying radially constrictive force thereto and pressing it onto the pin member.
 2. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1 wherein the thread means securing the sleeve member is disposed on a self-locking taper between the opposite outer and inner surfaces of the socket member and sleeve member respectively.
 3. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tapered post of the socket member is longitudinally split into radially moveable portions.
 4. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tapered post of the socket member is longitudinally split into radially moveable portions and at least one portion having an inwardly turned lip releasably engageable with an indentation in the outer surface of the pin member.
 5. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tapered post of the socket member is longitudinally split into radially moveable portions having said opposite outer surfaces thereon and said receptacle opening therethrough respectively, and wherein the thread means securing the sleeve member is disposed on a self-locking taper between the opposite outer and inner surfaces of the socket member and sleeve member respectively.
 6. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tapered post of the socket member is longitudinally split into radially moveable portions and at least one portion having an inwardly turned lip releasably engageable with an indentation in the outer surface of the pin member, and wherein the pin member has an inclined entry portion initially engageable with said at least one inwardly turned lip to lift the same for insertion of the pin member into the socket member.
 7. The electrical Union as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sleeve member has an annular axially open end recess and a ring of mastic material carried therein to seal against the base of the socket member.
 8. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sleeve member has an annular end recess and a ring of mastic material carried therein to seal around the pin member.
 9. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sleeve member has an annular axially open end recess and a ring of mastic material carried therein and an axially forceable gland means to compress said mastic material to seal around the pin member.
 10. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sleeve member has an annular axially open end recess at one end and a ring of mastic material carried therein to seal against the base of the socket member, and wherein the sleeve member has an annular end recess at the other end and a ring of mastic material carried therein to seal around the pin member.
 11. The electrical union as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sleeve member has an annular axially open end recess at one end and a ring of mastic material carried therein to seal against the base of the socket member, and wherein the sleeve member has an annular axially open end recess at the other end and a ring of mastic material carried therein and an axially forceable gland means to compress said mastic material to seal around the pin member. 